A group planning to pick a presidential candidate online says it soon will get its nominee on Georgia’s Nov. 6 ballot.

Dagney Leonard, a spokeswoman for Americans Elect, said it’s rounded up about 100,000 signatures and will submit them to the state “in the next month.”

That is well over the 51,990 the Georgia Secretary of State’s office says it needs.

Certification in Georgia would mean the Americans Elect nominee will be one of the choices in at least 22 states, including big ones such as California, Florida, Ohio and Michigan.

Leonard said about 100 workers worked “4 or 5 months” to gather the signatures.

“What we’ve done in Georgia and in other states shows we’re on track to be on the ballot nationwide,” she said. “I think we’re going to make it in all 50 states.”

Leonard said Americans Elect is waiting for certification in two other states, has finished collecting signatures in Georgia and eight others and is gathering them in five more.

Americans Elect seeks to bypass political parties and what it says is their pandering to extremes. Delegates — any registered voter who signs up online — will choose the issues and would-be candidates will be asked to respond.

“The delegates shape the debate, not the media or the parties,” Leonard said last year.

Then the delegates will choose the nominee directly. After that, it’s to the candidate to wage — and finance — the rest of the campaign.

Americans Elect is the successor group to a group called Unity08, which tried the same thing a few years ago and failed.

But unlike Unity08, which never got much past cyberspace networking, Americans Elect has about 150 full-time employees and has raised $35 million to bankroll ballot access and online operations, Leonard said.

Last fall, political experts in Georgia were skeptical about the new group’s prospects.

Now, at least some are taking a second look.

Among them is Kennesaw State University political science professor Kerwin Swint.

“Obviously, getting on the ballot across the country is a big task, but what this group has already accomplished is impressive,” Swint said.

University of Georgia associate political science professor Audrey Haynes said Americans Elect may be a sign of the times.

“Typically,” Haynes said, “when there is a great deal of dissatisfaction with the status quo, the existing parties (and) the incumbents in office ... third parties emerge. Often they succeed in drawing attention to issues that are being ignored.

“ ... While they do not tend to win seats or offices, they do tend to alter the discussion, change the dynamic and move their agenda.”

Swint agreed, adding that such movements can affect the outcome of elections even if they don’t win.

He noted that Ross Perot, who mounted a third party effort in 1992, and Ralph Nader, who did so in 2000, didn’t carry a single state.

But Swint cited the widespread view that Perot helped Democrat Bill Clinton win in 1992 and Nader boosted George W. Bush in 2000.

But he added it will be hard for Americans Elect to make a big splash without a big-name candidate.

So far, the best-known of the 10 declared aspirants for its nomination is Buddy Roemer.

Earlier, the former Louisiana governor and congressman vied for the Republican nomination but made little headway.

Some members of the group have talked up libertarian-leaning GOP candidate Ron Paul.

But the Texas congressman has expressed no interest.

Savannah College of Art and Design political scientist Robert Eisinger agreed with Swint.

“We have a concept that will be on the ballot,” said Eisinger, “but not a candidate. That doesn’t generate much enthusiasm. At least not until they get one.”